Tomahawk cheer squad leads Lil Tommies camp

MARYSVILLE — Without wins and losses, passes made and goals scored, cheerleading sometimes misses out on the spotlight of the other sports offered at Marysville-Pilchuck High.

But the 13 members of the cheer team brought the work ethic that carries them through football and winter sports seasons to leading the Lil Tommies Cheer Camp July 29-31, taking charge of almost every aspect of the camp since taking over the camp from the city of Marysville.

While cheer adviser Gayle Goudsward handled paperwork, the 12 girls and one boy of the Tomahawk cheer squad lead roughly 25 aspiring cheerleaders, grades kindergarten through fifth, through the chants and dance moves they'll perform on sideline of Tomahawk football games this fall.

Just a couple of weeks returned from their own camp in Ellensburg this summer, cheer co-captain Chelsea Grimm said the squad wants to share their love of cheering.

"We want little girls to want to be cheerleaders," she said, adding that members of the team will often go to basketball games during the winter when they're not already on the sideline of those games.

With about a six-year age spread between the oldest and youngest campers, the cheerleaders lead groups by age, mixing in games with the motions and cheers to keep the kids' attention.

"We have two cheerleaders with each group," said fellow captain Kaylena Brevick. On the first day, "we started working on some moves for a dance routine."

The camp culminated in a dance performance to Hannah Montana tune "Let's Do This."

The camp is a key fundraiser for the team, said Goudsward.

"We've done it through the city for the last three years and this year we took it over," she said.

Goudsward added that the team hopes to add a one-day camp in October, which would culminate in campers and cheerleaders collaborating on the sideline of the Tomahawks' Oct. 9 Oktoberfest game against Lake Stevens.

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Contact Marysville Globe Sports Reporter Danielle Szulczewski at dszulczewskir@marysvilleglobe.com or 360-659-1300.

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